"The Ascent" is also one of my favorite DS9 episodes. I love the bickering between Quark and Odo throughout the whole episode, and especially the ending -- when they tell each other they hate each other, and then just start laughing. They have such a bizarre relationship. It's one of the things I love most about DS9.

The thing that makes Quark so great is that he's one of the few Star Trek characters who isn't, well... a goody-two-shoes, for lack of a better term. Almost every regular character in the Star Trek universe is a member of Starfleet, which means they're expected to live up to a higher standard. As a result, they can sometimes come off as a little too perfect. But Quark is a civilian, and he couldn't care less about Starfleet's moral code. He's just out to make money and have a little fun.

I'm also a Quark fan. It's a very juicy part for an amazing actor, and I think he succeeded almost single-handedly in making the Ferengi believable.
Of course they're comical but when I look at Quark, that's not all there is to him. Armin Shimerman gives the character a substance that makes him real. He has his serious moments, he has his deeply felt emotions - occasionally even about things other than latinum - he even has the odd attack of uncharacteristic valour and I can buy them all. The actors who play his brother and nephew did sterling work as well.

Armin Shimerman gives the character a substance that makes him real. He has his serious moments, he has his deeply felt emotions - occasionally even about things other than latinum - he even has the odd attack of uncharacteristic valour and I can buy them all.

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Agreed. I just watched "Call to Arms" last night, and there's a nice little scene in it that for some reason I didn't remember. All the Bajorans have evacuated DS9, but Rom stays behind, even though he could have left with Leeta, because "brothers should stick together". Quark calls him an idiot and kisses him on the head, and it was just such a Quark thing to do. He pretends that he doesn't care about anyone, but it still shows in subtle ways. And it's always believable, because Shimerman portrays him so effortlessly.

I know Quark annoys a lot of Trek fans, but to me, he's one of the best parts of DS9.

Star Trek aliens traditionally were intended to represent individual human traits, i.e., Vulcans=Logic, Ferengi=Greed, etc. I could never figure out what they were supposed to represent with all the different Xindi factions.

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I always was under the impression they serve as overdrawn parallels for ethnic groups and how they were seen from a US-centric view starting with TOS. Klingons as russians, Romulans as the japanese, Cardassians as nazi germany and Ferengi as the logical conclusion of capitalist, hedonist 20th century americans.

Quark is comic relief for the series especially in between the heavy hitter episodes.I like the Quark/ferengi eps they added to the ferengi as a species.When they portayed in TNG they came off as bumbling fools at least in DS9 the grew and evolved .

Well the funny thing with Quark is, that watching the show as a child I really really hated him. I thought he was just annoying, with everything about him being about making money, mistreating women and so on. It's only when I got older that I realized what a brilliant character Quark actually is, and that his relationship with Odo really is one of my favorite things about the show.

When I rewatched it some years ago, I was surprised to see so many great Odo/Quark moments even in the first season. This show was blessed with brilliant writing and equally brilliant actors. Auberjonois and Shimerman were such an integral part of the show.

My favortie Quark episodes would have to be "Rules of Acquisition", where we got a first hint that Quark was more than just your typical Ferengi, "Business as Usual", which once and for all established that he had a conscience, and "Profit and Loss", in which he got a nice romantic backstory that really allowed Shimerman to shine.

Star Trek aliens traditionally were intended to represent individual human traits, i.e., Vulcans=Logic, Ferengi=Greed, etc. I could never figure out what they were supposed to represent with all the different Xindi factions.

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I always was under the impression they serve as overdrawn parallels for ethnic groups and how they were seen from a US-centric view starting with TOS. Klingons as russians, Romulans as the japanese, Cardassians as nazi germany and Ferengi as the logical conclusion of capitalist, hedonist 20th century americans.

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I would switch the Klingons and Romulans. The Klingons are the Imperial Japanese and Romulans are the USSR. The klingons have ritual suicide and the 'samurai' warrior ethic. And Romulus has secret organizations that disappear people, which is blatantly Communism.

Star Trek aliens traditionally were intended to represent individual human traits, i.e., Vulcans=Logic, Ferengi=Greed, etc. I could never figure out what they were supposed to represent with all the different Xindi factions.

Click to expand...

I always was under the impression they serve as overdrawn parallels for ethnic groups and how they were seen from a US-centric view starting with TOS. Klingons as russians, Romulans as the japanese, Cardassians as nazi germany and Ferengi as the logical conclusion of capitalist, hedonist 20th century americans.

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I would switch the Klingons and Romulans. The Klingons are the Imperial Japanese and Romulans are the USSR. The klingons have ritual suicide and the 'samurai' warrior ethic. And Romulus has secret organizations that disappear people, which is blatantly Communism.

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Originally in TOS, Klingons faced off against the Federation in a Cold War allegory. This was enforced by the Organians, as of the first Klingon episode, Errand of Mercy, so the Klingons were initially analogous to the Soviets.

The Romulans debuted in Balance of Terror, an episode based on a WWII submarine movie depicting a US Navy destroyer versus a German U-boat. Thinking of the Romulans as patterned after Germans would therefore be more apt than thinking of them as patterned after the Japanese. However, Romulans later assumed an allegorical role patterned after the North Koreans, in The Enterprise Incident.

None of these allegorical roles are absolute, and both Klingons and Romulans have been revised a great deal since the TOS days.

When it comes to ritual suicide, I've seen a Romulan commander blow his own ship up to avoid capture (in BoT), but I don't recall a Klingon ever doing anything similar.

Quark is a great character IMHO. As said before, he has a unique perspective on humanity: IE: The Jem'Hadar, The Seige of AR-558, Little Green Men are great examples of his perspective. His character alternates from cowardly to courageous, and I think he transforms beyond the stereotypical greedy Ferengi from season 1 to a noble character by series' end.

As for the Ferengi-centric episodes, they are hit or miss, especially ones with his Mom or Liquidator Brunt, but Quark as a character shouldn't be docked for them.

I adore Quark and he only gets better with rewatchings. A very well written and layered character who was never just his species as is sometimes a pitfall of non-humans. And as I've always said, absolutely hot.

Well the funny thing with Quark is, that watching the show as a child I really really hated him. I thought he was just annoying, with everything about him being about making money, mistreating women and so on. It's only when I got older that I realized what a brilliant character Quark actually is, and that his relationship with Odo really is one of my favorite things about the show.

When I rewatched it some years ago, I was surprised to see so many great Odo/Quark moments even in the first season. This show was blessed with brilliant writing and equally brilliant actors. Auberjonois and Shimerman were such an integral part of the show.

My favortie Quark episodes would have to be "Rules of Acquisition", where we got a first hint that Quark was more than just your typical Ferengi, "Business as Usual", which once and for all established that he had a conscience, and "Profit and Loss", in which he got a nice romantic backstory that really allowed Shimerman to shine.